4 Must-Read Ann Patchett Book Recommendations About Love, Loss and Laughter
The bestselling author has a soft spot for stories that break your heart—then mend it
Key Takeaways
- Ann Patchett recommends four thoughtful novels about love, loss and finding yourself.
- Patchett says ‘Writers & Lovers’ by Lily King made her feel happy and hopeful.
- Patchett calls ‘Less’ by Andrew Sean Greer a bittersweet romance that made her laugh.
Ann Patchett isn’t a romance author, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t enjoy a good story about love now and then. We’re not talking about steamy reads—the best-selling author gravitates toward stories about heartbreak, healing and finding yourself. From a Read with Jenna pick to a Pulitzer Prize winner, here are five books Ann recommends to fans of thoughtful, character-driven stories about love.
‘Writers & Lovers’ by Lily King
In this Read With Jenna pick, readers follow Casey Peabody, a former golf prodigy, who arrives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the summer of 1997 after her mother’s sudden death. She spends her days waiting tables in Harvard Square and trying to finish the novel she’s been working on for six years—even after the rest of her friends have given up on their creative endeavors. And if that weren’t enough, she’s starting to fall for two men and finding it harder and harder to continue pursuing her creative dreams.
What Ann says: “Writers & Lovers made me happy. Even as the narrator grieves the loss of her mother and struggles to make art and keep a roof over her head, the novel is suffused with hopefulness and kindness. Lily King writes with a great generosity of spirit.”
What readers are saying: “I feel I’ll have a hard time putting into words why I loved this book. But it was kinda just everything about it. The writing, the way I related to the main character, Casey, yet on paper we have nothing in common. I loved the other supporting characters. Of course I loved the weaving in of romance throughout and the profound thoughts and feelings of Casey. I loved the way this book made me feel while reading it, which when it boils down to it, is what makes a novel great.”
‘Less’ by Andrew Sean Greer
In this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, 49-year-old novelist Arthur Less is shocked to learn that his boyfriend of the past nine years is engaged to someone else. To make matters worse, Arthur receives an invitation to the wedding. As he stares at it on his desk, surrounded by invitations to literary events from around the world, he decides to accept every single invitation. His journey takes him across the globe, where he falls in love in Paris, nearly dies in Berlin and experiences one misadventure after another.
What Ann says: “A bittersweet romance of chances missed, this touching story about a gay man traveling the world just before turning fifty made me roar with laughter.”
What readers are saying: “As a person who loves both traveling and running away when feeling emotionally overwhelmed, the story of Arthur Less is predestined to be among my favorites. Unbelievably, I even enjoyed the romance aspect, which isn’t really prevalent in the beginning, but slowly creeps in with the switch of point of view, making this, in the end, a love story..”
‘The Falconer’ by Dana Czapnik
This coming-of-age tale is set in 1993 New York City and follows 17-year-old Lucy Adler, who is often the only girl on the public basketball courts. And if that weren’t enough, Lucy’s inner life is a mess. She’s insecure, cynical, self-possessed and hopelessly in love with her best friend and pickup teammate, Percy, a rebellious boy who’s part of one of New York’s most famous families. But one day when Lucy discovers a pair of provocative feminist artists, things change and she begins to discover parts of herself that she never thought possible.
What Ann says: “A novel of huge heart and fierce intelligence. It has restored my faith in pretty much everything.”
What readers are saying: “An absolutely beautiful coming of age novel set in Manhattan in the mid-90s. Lucy is an amazing protagonist; hopelessly in love with her best friend, an amazing athlete, learning about art, feminism, and the real world, and a character you fall in love with. Your heart will break for her, but you will also cheer on her small victories and the lessons she learns. A fabulous novel, one that will stay with me for a long time. I was sad to leave Lucy’s world at the end, but excited to let her go and grow up.”
‘My Magnolia Summer’ by Victoria Benton Frank
Summertime and sunshine take center stage in this novel written by Victoria Benton Frank, the daughter of the late bestselling author Dorothea Benton Frank. South Carolina transplant Maggie is over the New York City winter and longs to return to the warm beaches of Sullivan’s Island, which feels like a distant memory. But when her sister Violet calls with the news that Gran, the treasured matriarch, has fallen into a coma, Maggie knows she must go home and help save her family and their restaurant, The Magic Lantern. While there, Maggie finally begins to feel like herself again and even befriends a handsome farmer who has the keys to a fun pickup truck and maybe even Maggie’s heart.
What Ann says: “By writing My Magnolia Summer, a novel of low country food, family drama, and just the right amount of romance, Victoria Benton Frank shows that she is the rightful heir to the crown of summertime storytellers. Her mother would be so proud.”
What readers are saying: “The various relationships between mother-daughter, grandmother-granddaughter, and sister-sister and their dynamics really added to the book. It was more than just Magnolia falling for someone and that relationship being the focus like most romance novels. There is something happening from chapter to chapter in this book to prevent you from putting it down. The southern charm is so warming and the setting of Charleston is almost a character in itself.”
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